Sam's Journy in Hoenn
by Sammie Is Here
Summary: Sam starts his Hoenn journey. Chapter 4 up!
1. A New Jouney

Sam was yawning in bed. He had just woken up, from the loud, golden bell on the deck of the domed ship he was on. Next to his soft, heavily covered bed was his first pokemon, Flare, his Vulpix. Also heavily covered in her small, light blue bed, she turned, her many red tails, slightly poking out of the, also light blue, sheet, barely visible under her two covers on top of the single sheet.

Sam sat up on his bed, thinking about what he had just done with his life. He had just left all of his old pokemon, except Vulpix, to start a new journey. '_Well, new journey, new pokemon!' _He thought, slightly doubting it. He had only been away for the night and he was already missing his old pokemon, friends, especially Jared, who gave him Flare, and his family. He looked around the room. It had many golden-colored columns. These took Sam's mind off missing his pokemon. '_Wonder if they're real gold…' _He thought, curious.

The room also had a wooden chest right next to his bed. The chest had small pokemon markings on it. There were Poliwags on the top corners and Steelix in the bottom. Even though they were badly discolored Sam could still see what they were. In fact, he had seen the pokemon before. Robbie and Jamie… Evil Team Magma thugs. They were the ones who had those pokemon. Sam could still recall the battle where they had used those pokemon against him, too.

Team Magma… Evil pokemon poachers, at least now. Jesse, James, and their Meowth had stopped Team Magma and Aqua years ago. Years before the two teams wanted to capture rare pokemon, certain rare pokemon, really rare pokemon. Brock, Sam's idle, had gotten tangled up in this mess once. Legend has it that Team Magma was after the pokemon Groudon, while Aqua was after Kyogre.

The two teams caught the other's pokemon, for bait. After they awakened the two pokemon, with the two orbs, the pokemon hovered towards Sootopolis City, in the Hoenn Region, where Sam was going to fight their hearts out. All of the skies went black, flashing with yellow sun, hidden in the rain clouds.

When it seemed like all hope was lost, but another legendary pokemon appeared. No one quite knows what that pokemon was. It came through the clouds, coiled. It's green body shone with its yellow markings as the sky returned to normal and the other legendary pokemon fled. The pokemon stayed in its pose for a moment, roared loudly, then left.

Sam suddenly remembered that the bell had rung . It was time to go! He quickly shook Flare, helping her pull the covers off. Sam quickly pulled his coat off the brass-like hooks on the wooden wall with his free hand.

"Come on, Flare. We've got to go!" Sam said, still waking the pokemon up.

"Pi… Vullllll…" The pokemon squealed, getting out of the bed quickly.

Sam ran out of their room, now dressed and packed completely. "Wait for us!" He yelled. "Wait!"

The assistant also got off the ship, closing the door behind him. Sam and Flare were now alone in the ship. Sam still ran until he got to the door. He tried the silver-ish door handle. It was locked! Sam was locked in the ship!

"Ha ha!" A young boy's voice sounded from what seemed like the top of the ship.

"Is that…" Sam said, shaking his head. "No…"

"To protect the world from Team Rocket!" A ladies voice said, from the same place as the other.

"To get Groudon, yes we still want it!" The boy continued the jingle-like phrase.

"It is…" Sam whispered.

"Jamie!" The lady, turning out to be Jamie, continued, jumping out of an air vent, along with Robbie, her companion, near Sam, still taking turns in the jingle.

"Robbie!"

"Now that introductions are over," Sam said, grasping his belt, expecting poke-balls and then remembering what had happened. "What do you want this time?"

"Your Wigglytuff!" Jamie said smiling. "And we're willing to fight for it!"

"Oh…" Sam said, also smiling. "Bad news… I left my pokemon in Johto! All I have now is Flare!"

"We're still in Johto aren't we" Jamie asked Robbie, smiling evilly now.

"No." Robbie replied. "We are now in the Hoenn region, welcome."

"You dim-wit!" Jamie said, her face still pointed towards Robbie. "You were supposed to stop the ship!"

"That was your Magby's job!" Robbie replied, grabbing his black and red poke-ball from his pocket then facing Sam. "Still, I know he has his pokemon! Go, Poliwag. Get those pokemon!"

"You too, Magby!" Jamie said, also grabbing the same kind of poke-ball from her blue belt.

"Okay, if you insist. Go Flare!" Sam started as Flare walked into the fray. "Use _Fire Spin_!"

Red and orange flames came out of the pokemon's mouth, capturing the Magby and Poliwag in its tornado-like whirlwind.

"Poliwag…" Robbie coughed. "Quick use your _Water Gun _attackMake a path through the tornado!"

In a mass of clear-blue water the tornado died down for a couple seconds, just enough for the two other pokemon to get out of it.

"Poliwag!" Robbie kept giving orders. "Follow it up with a _Bubble Beam_!"

Out of the wave of water came lighter-blue bubbles. They weren't very fast but still charging at Flare.

"Magby," Continued Jamie. "Push those bubbles on with your _Flamethrower_!"

"Flare! Use your _Fire Spin _attack to capture those attacks then push them back with _Flamethrower_!" Sam said, a little bit scared for Flare.

The Vulpix quickly reacted to the directions, flames pouring out of her mouths. The flames, also quickly, sucked up the two attacks, stopping them completely. Flare, now sweating, sent out a bright red _Flame Thrower _attack, just like the Magby had, to push the multi-colored ball of attacks towards the other pokemon, who had now turned away, thinking they had won the battle.

"Magby!" Jamie said, trying to save her pokemon from losing. "Watch out!"

"Poliwag, you too!" Robbie said, doing the same.

The two pokemon turned around, shocked to see a multi-colored ball of attacks charging right at them. The two were too shocked that they couldn't move, allowing the energy ball to land a direct hit, sending the whole gang, including Robbie and Jamie, flying out a window near the vent.

"We'll get you for this kid!" Jamie yelled as they flew out the window.

"We will…" Robbie also yelled, his voice trailing away.


	2. Professor, My Turn!

Sam quickly climbed out of the window where Robbie and Jamie had just flown out of. His skin was wrinkling, due to the hard metal. Behind him he saw Flare walk back into their room, to wait for him.

Sam finally got out to see his surroundings, small buildings with trees around it. It seemed to be a town. In one corner, between the trees, was grass, the sailor, who went outside before Sam got a chance to, was standing

next to the grass, seeming scared.

Sam quickly trudged through the town, running towards the sailor.

"What's wrong?" Sam half yelled, half asked. Before the sailor could answer, Sam finally got to the grass' edge to find a man in the grass, apparently battling. He had a doctor's coat on, it was white with dark-brown buttons on it. His hair was brown and a little bit spiky. A pokemon was standing in front of him. It had a blue body and a fin-like flap on the top of its head. It looked extremely tired.

"Use _Water Gun _Mudkip!" The man yelled. The pokemon in front of him sprayed water all over another dog-ish pokemon in front of it, whom Sam had just noticed.

"Pooch! Pooch!" The dog-ish pokemon yelled as it bit the 'Mudkip', as the man had called it, fiercely.

"Wow! What are they?" Sam asked himself, pulling out his pokedex.

**"Some pokemon cannot be identified yet" **The poke-dex said in a mechanical voice before beeping of.

"They're Mudkip and Poochyena." The sailor said, keeping a straight face. "Welcome to Hoenn! But that Professor needs help!"

"Grab my bag! Pick a poke-ball and come help then!" The Professor said, pointing to his bag.

Sam quickly ran to the bag on the edge of the grass. "Hurry up!" The Professor continued, giving his pokemon directions all the while. Sam grabbed a poke-ball and threw it, not even caring witch one he got.

"Poke-ball…" Sam threw the poke-ball. "Go!"

A small red-and-orange pokemon popped out of the ball. It was shaped like a small bird-like pokemon. To Sam, it looked like a first evolution stage of a fire pokemon.

"Chi! Tor!" The pokemon exclaimed cutely as it jumped up and down.

Sam's eyes bulged at the pokemon. It was so cute!

"Torchic, good choice!" The Professor said, the sailor and Sam's eyes still on the cute pokemon. "Sam?"

"Uhh…" Sam shook himself out of the trance. "Yeah."

"It has the attacks _Ember, Tackle, _and _Growl._" The Professor continued, stealing glances at his pokemon to make sure it was alright. "Quick use an attack!"

"Okay." Sam perked up and pointed towards the Poochyena. "Torchic, use _Ember_ on the Poochyena! Quick!"

"Tor!" The Torchic hold a high note for a while, spitting out flames. The Poochyena looked very weakened from this attack, fighting back with a loud _Roar_ attack, seeming to frighten the other pokemon.

"Mudkip, finish it!" The Professor urged his pokemon. "Use _Bubble Beam _attack!"

The Mudkip's mouth foamed briefly the exploded with small, clear bubbles, immediately heading towards the Poochyena, causing it to nearly faint.

"Torchic!" Sam yelled. "Use your…"

"No, Sam." The Professor held Sam back with one of his arms.

"But!" Sam continued. " Professor aren't you going to catch it?"

"No." The Professor walked over to the weak pokemon, his Mudkip walking behind him, tired out. "By the way you can call me Birch." Birch continued, also continuing to the Poochyena. "Here you go little buddy." Birch fed the Poochyena various items from his pocket. Some looked like vitamins, some like bottles of liquid, and the final item he fed it looked like a piece of sweet candy. "There you go!" Birch now petted the fully healed, healthy, and happy pokemon slowly.

The Poochyena purred and slid behind Birch, seeming to want to come with him.

"Lets go back to the lab." Birch said heading back into the 'town', heading towards a white building behind the houses.

"Birch?" Sam asked walking beside the sailor, the Torchic chirping behind him.

"Yes…" Birch started. "What was your name again?"

"Oh, Sam" Sam said, taking a deep breath and picking up the Torchic. "Here's your Torchic back."

"Yes, yes, thank you Sam." Birch took the pokemon and put it back into its poke-ball. He also put his hand into his backpack. "Here, this is for your help." He pulled out a white egg from his backpack. "It's an egg. We couldn't hatch it at the lab so I want you to have it Sam." He pushed his hands out to Sam, handing him the egg. "Make sure to take good care of it!"

"Will do!" Sam said, turning towards the sailor, keeping the egg at hand. "Lets go open the doors to the ship, my Vulpix is in it waiting"

"Wait, here," Birch pulled a small machine out of his pocket. He gave it to Sam, who examined it then put it in his pocket. "It's a advanced poke-dex, made by my daughter and I. It has data on more than three-hundred fifty pokemon."

"Okay now, lets go, bye Birch." The sailor said, walking towards the ship.

"Yeah, bye! Thanks!" Sam said, having trouble waving because of the egg in his hands.

"Bye, take care!" Birch waved back to Sam. "Good luck!"

Sam and the sailor were now at the door of the ship, the sailor was taking out keys from his pocket, to unlock the door. "How long have you had this Vulpix?"

"You mean Flare? Less than a year." Sam replied, anxious to see Flare again. "Why?"

"_We _can't get in, the keys disappeared somehow, but wait. Call it." The sailor said, impressed with Sam's progress but not showing it.

"Flare!" Sam called through the door, scared for his pokemon now. A few long minutes passed and finally a response came, loud scratches on the door.

"Now have it use a fire attack on the door hinges." The sailor said, even more impressed.

"Flare?" Sam started, making sure the pokemon was there.

"Vu!"

"Use a _Flamethrower _to burn down the door. Again, long minutes pattack on the hinges!" Sam continued, stepping away from the door. Flare responded quickly, using it fire attack assed, until, finally, the door started to turn a light shade of red, getting darker by the second. Red sparks started to fly from the door, having Sam and the sailor both have to step back from the door. The door started to fall slowly, the hinges breaking off. The door fell flat on the ground, Flare walking out on top of it, casually, looking like nothing ever happened. It was holding Sam's blue backpack, giving it to him immediately after it got out of the ship.

"Well we better be going." Sam said, turning around and walking towards the grass, now invaded with wild pokemon. "Right Flare?"

"Pix!" Flare, replied now yards away from the ship, following Sam closely, also taking jumps at the egg to see what it was.

"Yeah," The sailor said, taking poke-ball off of his belt. "See you later!" He threw the poke-balls, revealing three, seemingly strong, pokemon. Sam knew two of them, Seadra, a sea-horse pokemon, and Pidgey, a bird pokemon, but the other one, on the right, was a new one he hadn't seen before. It had ruffles on its fur, it almost looked like a raccoon with jagged fur. Sam put the egg in his backpack, to keep it from Flare, turned around, then he dug through his pocket, grabbing his new poke-dex and opening it.

It seemed to glow red. It had all types of buttons on it, there were red, green, and blue, all dotted over the border. In the middle of it there was a black screen. "Poke-dex? What is that one on the right?" Sam asked, looking at the screen while pointing the machine at the pokemon.

"**Zigzagoon," **The Poke-dex started. "**The raccoon pokemon, this pokemon enjoys crawling in small places to look for food, like air vents and dog's doors."**

"Well… I got to fix this ship…" The sailor said, laughing afterwards. "Bye!"

"Bye." Sam said as he turned back to the grass and walked. "Sorry about the window!"

The sailor watched Sam go through the grass out of sight then wondered out loud; "Window?" He shook his head and walked inside the ship, immediately seeing the shattered window. "Guys…" He called his pokemon. "Get over here…" His jaw dropped, it was quite a terrible sight…


	3. Ralts, Ralts, and More Ralts!

Sam's bag shook softly as he walked. Flare was walking casually in front of him, it's tail was swaying peacefully. They were walking through some thin grass, nothing around them moving. All of the grass was calm, it almost seemed that all of the things around them were frozen solid.

Sam took out his light-blue egg from his backpack. Flare jumped, trying to get the egg, immediately. Sam shooed Flare off of the egg, still quiet. The silence was broken as the travelers walked past a house, a small cry coming from it through a small window.

"Ral!" The cry sounded, it was calm yet loud.

"What's that?" Sam asked himself, looking towards the house. Some purple, transparent circles appeared in the window soon, a small pokemon appeared. It had a small white dress on, the rest of it's body covered.

"Ralts!" The pokemon called, again, calmly.

"What is it?" Sam ask, rhetorically, pulling out his new, advanced poke-dex.

**"Ralts, a psychic pokemon."** The poke-dex spoke. **This pokemon's psychic powers can teleport it to anywhere within three miles away."**

"Hmmm… Never heard of it…" Sam continued, putting the poke-dex back.

"Sammie?" A girl's voice called. "Was that you?" The voice was coming from a girl, about Sam's age, that was running out of the door.

"Ericka?" Sam shouted, walking to the door. "Is that _you_?"

"It _is _you!" Ericka said, walking right in front of Sam. "What are you doing here?"

"You know…" Sam scratched his head. "Traveling here, capturing pokemon, the usual."

"So still going for the 'Pokemon Master' title…?" The black haired girl took a deep breath. "Welcome to home!" She turned around and pointed to the house.

"Wow… It's nice." Sam looked around. "Who's Ralts is that?" He pointed to the window.

"Ralii? Oh… That dad's." She looked at the window. "She doesn't leave home, but she likes to teleport around the windows. Did she scare you?"

"No, no." Sam looked at Flare.

Ericka suddenly noticed Flare and grabbed it up in her arms. "How're you Flare?"

"Vuuuul!" Flare had seemed to miss Ericka. It stretched as it got pampered by her, like the old times.

"What's wrong with Ralii?" Sam pointed again to the window. Ralii was spinning wildly. Then, it happened, there were copies of Ralii all over the lawn. They were all spinning wildly, like they had been spun by a Machamp.

"Ralii… Ralii doesn't know _Double Team_." Ericka said, running to the house through the Ralii copies. "Does she?"

Sam followed her into the house. "Dad!" Ericka screeched, running up the stairs.

"What?" A man's voice replied calmly. A man walked down the stairs with Ericka. He had gray hair and was pretty old, not that he showed it.

"First introductions… Daddy, meet Sammie. Sammie, meet Daddy." Ericka introduced Sam and her dad to each other. "This is Sammie, ya' know… The one that I told you about."

"I've heard much about you Sam. Call me Ash." The man said, shaking Sam's hand.

"The Ash?" Sam looked in awe, Ash was the champion of the International Pokemon League!

"Pika!" A pokemon shouted, interrupting Sam, outside. Sam couldn't believe it, he had just met the champion of the Pokemon League… And his Pikachu!

"What is it Pikachu?" Ash asked, walking outside.

"Pika! Pika! Chu!" The Pikachu was panting outside, trying to zap the extra Raliis.

"Is this what you were yelling to me about, Ericka?" Ash asked, picking up the Pikachu in his arms.

"Yeah… But does Ralii even _know Double Team _attack?" Ericka asked, trying to catch the spinning Ralii copies.

"No she doesn't… They may be _real _Ralts… Anyway, Sam, send out your Vulpix." Ash nodded. "Go, Pikachu!" The Pikachu jumped into battle.

"Go on Flare!" Sam shouted, Flare jumping into battle quickly.

"Follow my lead." Ash said, stopped, then continued. "Use _Quick Attack_ Pikachu, make a ditch around those Ralts!"

Ash's Pikachu quickly took action. As fast as it could, it whirled around the Ralts, digging a circular ditch around them.

"Now, Flare." Sam ordered. "Use your _Fire Spin _to trap them in the circle!"

Flare seemed to try to outshine Ash's Pikachu. It quickly aimed a _Fire Spin _attack up into the clouds. Seconds later, a fire tornado came down from the sky. It was aimed exactly on the ditch Pikachu had dug. Flare screeched and added fire with a _Flamethrower _attack to top it off, indeed trapping the Ralts. "Vulll!" Flare yelled in a tone that told Sam that she was showing off.

"Wow, Sam. Your Vulpix --Flare-- is great! Maybe you should try out for some Pokemon Contests… But we'll have to talk about that later. Now, what do we do with there Ralts?"

_Tap, Tap…_Sam heard a sound behind him. He quickly turned.

"What is that?" Ash asked, looking behind Sam.

"My… My egg's hatching… Already?" Sam ran over to his egg, Ralii was playing with it. It was slowly cracking at the top. "What the?"

The egg had fully cracked at the top revealing a slippery wet head. It looked a bit like a dragon, but Sam wasn't to judge. It slipped out completely in seconds, adding a slippery-looking body to the head.

"What's that?" Sam asked himself, pulling out his poke-dex.

**"Dratini,"** The poke-dex's voice stated. "**These pokemon are very rare, even to divers. There has only been one colony found, deep in the oceans of Johto."**

"Wait, Sammie. Remember," Ericka asked. "Wynn took us down there once. By Cherrygrove City."

"Oh yeah," Sam said, remembering all of his old friends in the Johto region.

"Wait! Dratini knows _Twister_!" Ash said. "Tell it to use it!"

The last of the egg broke up and Dratini squirmed out. "Go, Draegon! Use _Twister_!"

The Dratini seemed to know that it was being called and quickly used

it's attack. The wind attack turned into a tornado, just like _Fire Spin_. The fire and wind tornados collided, fighting over which one would push who.

"Draegon! Use a _Water Gun _attack!" Ash ordered, Draegon obeying him, too, surprisingly.

Again, Draegon reacted quickly. Foam came out of its mouth, soon followed by a whole body of water, weakening the fire tornado just enough for the wind tornado to all of the tornado, Ralts and all, away.

"Daddy! You did it!" Ercika said, hugging Ash.

Ash, Sam, and Ericka were now inside. They were all on a large couch, a glass table in front of them.

"Okay, Sam. Now that that's over. Let's talk about those Pokemon Contests…" Ash stopped to take a deep breath. "Well, they're special things, only in Hoenn and Kanto Regions. You take a challenge, five in all, in different towns on your journey across the region. On each challenge --contest-- you face off against many other contest trainers that entered. There are three judges each contest. They judge your pokemon on their quality, speed, and glamour. You must have the most affective attack to get to the next round." Ash, again, took a deep breath. "Sound good?"

"Sure," Sam asked, nodding. "but what's the point. I mean, why would you do that?"

"Oh," Ericka continued Ash's statement. "there are certain ribbons for certain contests. If you collect all five in six months, you get a free invatation to the Grand Festival, where all the _good_ contest trainers go."

"Okay," Sam answered, walking to the door. "Sounds good, but I better get going."

"_We _Better get going." Ericka said, following Sam.

Before Sam could say anything, Ash stood up and walked him out the door. "Bye, Sam. You, too, Ericka."

"Seeya!" Sam and Ericka said in unison.

Then they walked away from the house, waving back the whole time.


	4. Heated Tournament Part 1: The Invatation

-1Heated Tournament!

(Part 1)

The Invitation

--------------------------

Sam, Ericka, and Flare were walking along the route towards Odale Town.

"Attack!" A feminine voice said from behind them. A horse-like creature stepped out from a bush. It had a fiery mane, that looked like it could burn all that touched it. Sam suddenly noticed that it was a pokemon, Ponyta. The Ponyta was small, yet it seemed a complete pure-breed. It also packed a powerful punch, as Ericka, Sam, and Flare had just learned, quickly getting hit by one of it's full-power _Fire Spin _attacks.

"Gotcha!" The voice came along again. Sam, Ericka, and Flare were now sitting on the ground, not that badly injured, but just enough that they couldn't move.

A young women, about sixteen, stepped out of the tall grass beside the bush, for a split second revealing some burnt trees behind all of the bushes and grass. She wore a black T-shirt, jeans, slightly curled up at the end, and a light red belt. She had long, red hair, tied into a pony tail at the back. The pony tail was wild and spiky, so you couldn't really tell that her hair was long at all.

"Poooony." The pokemon started over to her, whistling in a high voice. "Ta! Ta! Ta!" It sped up to her, apparently using some kind of speed-enhancing attack.

"Oh, No!" The women yelled. "Ponyta… You caught two kids and a Vulpix…" The women pitied her pokemon. Sam thought it was nice to put a face to the voice that he heard.

Ericka and Sam both passed out, the burn was to hot for them…

_Ping! _

"Ughnh…" Sam said, half awake.

"He's up!" Ericka and the woman's voice said in unison. Sam opened his eyes. He was in the Odale Pokemon Center! Flare was curled up against his feet, taking a nap.

Sam surveyed the room; He was laying down in a blue bed, very much like the one which he laid on when he came by boat to Hoenn. There was a flat monitor beside his bed, apparently x-raying his body, looking for broken bones. He was in a domed shaped room. The windows where complete glass, there were no shudders, hinges, nothing.

A Nurse Joy walked into the room, a few Chansy following. "Does he look hurt?" She said in her high-pitched voice.

"I'm fine." Sam stated. Everyone looked at him, surprised that he talked. "Just, can I call one of my friends? I know something that I need right now."

"Sure." The Nurse Joy seemed pleased he was okay. Another few Chansy pulled a stretcher in, rolling it to Sam's bed.

Sam simply ignored the help and got off the other side of the bed. He made his way, limping from the burns, towards the main room of the building. He quickly pushed the buttons on the video phone.

Jared's happy face appeared on the screen. "Hi, Sam." He shortly bowed. "Whatcha doin'?"

Sam replied slower than usual, it was hard (yet not impossible) to speak because of the burns. "I was wondering if I could borrow Larvae for a while, I miss him a little." He put an empty poke-ball in to the trading compartment. "Please?"

"Of course!" Jared replied happily, putting Sam's Larvatar's poke-ball into another compartment. "It's your pokemon!"

The both pressed a certain red button on their video phones, switching the poke-balls instantly.

"Thanks Jared!" Sam said, felling better now that he had one of his old pokemon.

"No problem, Sam!" Jared was able to mutter before Sam turned off the phone.

"Larvae!" Sam yelled outside the center. He had fully recovered and was now battling the women, who's name was apparently Flannary. It was Flannary's Ponyta and Slugma versus Flare and Larvae. Sam's first double battle. "Use _Dragon Rage_!"

As all of Sam's pokemon, Larvae was no different. It quickly used it's attack, sending giant balls of fire-like foam towards Flannary's pokemon.

"Slugma!" Flannary yelled. "_Quick Attack_! Ponyta can take care of itself!"

The Slugma had no hesitation, it disappeared then reappeared out of range of the blow.

Ponyta, however, took on the blow head first, sending powerful flames towards the balls, trying to push them back to Flare and Larvae.

"Don't give up! Flare, use a _Flamethrower_ attack!" Sam yelled, he was determined to win.

"You too, Slugma!" Flannary ordered, trying to get Flare and Slugma to use their fire attacks at the same time, securing her the win.

Slugma jumped in front of Ponyta, who was fainted from pushing the attack back. Flannary's strategy worked. Both pokemon used their attacks at the same time, making it a sudden death. It became a battle of strength.

'_One wrong move on my side, and that'll give her a win…_' Sam thought. '_I'll need a great strategy to win this one…_'

"Larvae!" Sam called, looking to his pokemon. It was fainted, not that Sam didn't expect that. The Dragon Rage attack was one of the best Sam had seen out of her.

"I wouldn't be calling the fainted right now…" Flannary joked.

The battle of strength continued between the trainers. Nether pokemon would give up. The flames kept pouring out of both pokemon's mouth, it seemed that Flare had given out so many flames, it should have lost more than half of her body weight already. Slugma's flames were slowly getting bigger.

"Down and center!" Flannary yelled out. Slugma suddenly tilted it's body down, allowing his flames to get through to Flare's legs, sending her flying.

"Good game…" Sam said glumly, returning Larvae to it's poke-ball and helping Flare get up into his arms. He knew that he had lost. "You're a great trainer!"

"Trainer?" Flannary cleared her throat. "You mean Lavarige Gym Leader!"

Sam gasped. No wonder he didn't beat her! She was one of the best gym leaders in Hoenn!

"You're the good _trainer_." Flannary started again, after giving Sam time to think to himself. "That's why I invite you to the Fire Tournament!"

"Fire Tournament?" Sam asked, it sounded cool.

"It's where many trainers compete with their fire pokemon in a tournament. The current one is held right here, in Odale, tomorrow!" She paused. "I think many people there would take you as a big challenge with Flare." She paused yet again. "If you want to participate, come to town square at ten-thirty tomorrow morning, the brackets and rules for the first round will be posted on the bulletin board."

"I'll be there!" Sam and Flannary shook hands.

It was a deal.


End file.
